The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-11-19
COMMERCIAL TOURIST
IN THE LONE STAR STATE.
Scenes and Incidents Of His
Journey.
HIS OBSERVATIONS AFTER MUCH
TRAVELLING
Convince Him that West Virginia is
Still the Best State in the
Union.
Special correspopdenee Of The NV Do.dxlos.

Special Correspondence Of the Nrw DoAhSlos,
MEMPHIS. TENN. Nov. l2-We
leave New Orleans on the Southern
Pacific R. r. for Houston, Texas.
The first thing on the trip was to
cross the great Mississippi on the
transfer boat Enterprise. As soon
as we We're across and the train
made up, we went whirling along
through the level lands Of Louisiana,
passing large sugar and rice planta-
tions, while now and then the prair-
les of grazing land extended back to
a forest of cypress and gum that
seemed to stretch along as a huge
wall for a back ground. Large
numbers OF darkies are seen, on
either side of our train, cutting the
sugar cane and hauling it to the
mills in their three mule carts. In
this section they work three mules
in every cart or wagon-one big
mule in the shafts and smaller one
each side.
The sugar cane does not seed from
the top, as the sorghum cane, and in
planting portion Of the stock is
used instead of seed a field of rice
reminds one. in some respects, of a
field of millet, and is harvested very
much in the same manner.
We pass a number of little vii
lagos, inhabited principally by ne
groes, and after few hours ride we
arrive in Morgan City. This is
quite a little town, and is the point
at which passengers used to take the
steamers for Galveston, Texas, but
since the Southern Pacific has been
extended from Houston most all
passengers go by rail. Further on
we arrive at La Fayette, where we
take ten cents worth of dinner and
pay seventy five for it. Soon after
making this investment the conduc.
tor cries "all aboard" and away we
go again through beautiful prairie
country, almost as level as a floor
for miles away. Along toward even
ing, as we were nearing the State
line, an officer from the Texas State
quarantine station boarded our train
and gave each passenger slip OF
paper to sign, which certified that
neither he nor his baggage had been
in any place, within the last thirty
days, infested with cholera or yellow
fever. This created quite a little
commotion for time, as it was
something new to most of the passen
gers, but everyone, / believe, was
able to sign with clear conscience
so we all went peacefully on.
| About dark we crossed the Sabine
river and passed from Louisiana into
Texas, and after ride of a few more
hours we arrived at Houston and
stopped at the Capital Hotel. sHous
ton is very pretty city of perhaps
10000. The buildings, especially
the business blocks, are nearly al
built of white brick or stone and TIL,
architecture is good. The streets
are we'll paved, which adds very
: much to the beauty of any city.
Next on the list is Galveston anC
we go on the Santa Fe railroad TIL
ticket agent for this road at Houston
is decidedly an exception to the gen
, eral rule. Instead of holding to tn,
ticket until he gets the money anC
then give itlto you with fora cent
should not -have-it air, this MAJ
asked me if would have a ticket 70
Galveston, and when / gave him thu
money he said "thank you.' From
Houston to Galveston is but rid
of few hours, and the scenery OF
the way is vast prairie, occasional
ly some woodland and now and thel
a house. In order to reach the cit
it is necessary to cross the head 0
the bay, which is wide sheet 0
shallow water, the road being bull
on piles.
In Galveston / stopped at tn
fremont House. Galveston is cit,
of about $4,000 inhabitants, and i
in appearance very much like Hous
ton. The city is built on a PENN
sula, bounded on three sides by tn
bay and gull. and is the Atlantic
, City of Texas. The Beach Hotel
which is down ON the beach mil
: from the city, is very popular plac
and much visited by tourists. Gal
weston is very windy place, espe
cially when the land breeze sets in
While in Galveston | saw tire
horses run away that were attached
J to as many different carts, and not
|. withstanding the fact that they wen
in different directions, and raj
: through crowded streets, no one wa
seriously hurt, although several per
{ sons were knocked down and rul
, over.
! From Galveston we started on tn
Arkansas Pass and San Antonio r
r. for San Antonio, Texas. On
train started at a. M, which wa
one hour sooner than we could ge
any breakfast, so we had to go with
out. The road is new and rough
and passes through vast rollin.
prairie country. We had nothin.
CiSc w dO Out W llStCH w uuS ldtol
of the train, so we put in the tim
looking at the fine herds of stool
that could be seen for miles away
thinking of the breakfast that W
!. did not get and, as Mark Twail
!. would put it, dustin mosquitoes.
Talk about mosquitoes! They owl
every other section of land through
Southern Texas and can do every
; thing but vote. They herd prett
; much all the cattle in that part Q
the State and have superseded tn
: cowboy. At any rate that is wha
!. we were told by the porter of tn
: parlor car, and he certainly woul
e not lie about an enterprising mos
j, quito.
When II o'clock, the usual hou
1 for dinner, came we were one hou
5 from the dinner station, but tn
e thought never occurred to us tina
1 we were $50 near ang yet SO far.
. Presently our train came to a stand
a and as there was no sign of STATIC
D in sight we began to investigate tn
: cause, and we soon learned YER
e much to our sorrow, that just ahea,